Holden Out - UPDATED

Having watched the video over and over again and listened to idiots, Rio Ferdinand included, talk about how the challenge on Stu Holden was a fair 50-50 yet Jonny Evans gets a red card and some other anti-Manc BS, the fact of the matter is that both players went in for the ball hard. Evans went in high and studs up into the knee of Holden, leaving the player on the ground with a gash in his leg.

The American was taken to the hospital after the injury for scans and tests on his knee where we still don’t know the full extent of the damage. What we do know is that the injury required 26 stitches. According to the US Soccer website:

“An X-ray revealed no broken bones, and Holden will be evaluated further today.”

While that news is all well and good, the knee ligaments are the big issue at this point and will determine the fitness of our rock in the midfield.

Holden has pulled out of the United States Men’s National Team friendlies against Argentina and Paraguay that have been scheduled for the next two weeks due to the injury. Let’s hope he’s back soon, we all know how unorganized that midfield can be without him.

It was revealed this morning that the injury was pretty serious. We will be without Stuart Holden for 6 months due to the damage to his knee revealed by MRI scans. On his Twitter account, Stu wrote this morning:

Thx again 4 all the well wishes, w out my fans I wld be no where. Down 2 London 4 Surgery later today and then road 2 recovery begins.

Holden will miss Wembley, the remainder of the season, and the US Men's National Team's Gold Cup campaign in the summer. Get well, Stu.